Atif Awan
Letchworth Garden City,Hertfordshire
Summary
Strategic PMO Leader with 18 years' experience directing large-scale People, HR, and digital transformations in complex environments like NHS England (Europe's largest employer). Proven ability to establish robust PMO frameworks , govern multi-million-pound portfolios, managed change programme impacting 36k+ employees, and shape national workforce strategies (1.3M staff). Expertise spans budgeting and financial planning & control , executive stakeholder management (incl. HM Treasury, Prime Minister Office), data-driven reporting , and enhancing project delivery (MS Project, Jira, Asana). PRINCE2, MSP certified; Dual MSc in Project Management & IT.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work history
Head of PMO | Assistant Director of Programmes
NHS ENGLAND
01.2019 - 04.2025
- Led the People PMO for NHS England (Europe's largest employer), directing a 50+ strategic HR programme portfolio and overseeing large-scale transformation impacting 36k employees. Established and optimized PMO governance, frameworks, processes, and tools , driving structured project management discipline , accelerating project delivery by 30% , and leading continuous improvement initiatives.
- Directed comprehensive budget planning, forecasting, cost control, and financial modelling (Advanced Excel) for diverse project portfolios. Ensured fiscal responsibility , resource optimization, and strategic alignment through close collaboration with HR, Finance , and executive stakeholders .
- Leveraged complex data analysis and reporting to inform national HR workforce strategy (1.3M staff). Developed and presented compelling analytics, business cases, financial reports, and dashboards to senior leadership (incl. HM Treasury, Prime Minister Office), providing actionable insights for data-driven policy and decision-making .
- Directed the high-pressure COVID-19 Emergency Response PMO , deploying 165 resources across critical workstreams, ensuring robust governance, reporting, and milestone delivery during a national crisis, demonstrating strong project management under pressure.
GDE PROGRAMME MANAGER
Cambridge University / West Suffolk NHS Trust
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Directed complex, large-scale digital transformation initiatives (£33M GDE Programme), applying robust project management discipline and governance to enhance operational efficiency, modernize service delivery, and improve user experience across the organization.
- Achieved multi-million-pound cost savings (£7M projected; £2.3M realized) and efficiency gains through data-driven adoption of automation (RPA) and digital communication platforms, demonstrating strong financial acumen in project delivery and clear benefit realization .
- Managed delivery of multi-million-pound HR and digital transformation projects, including Electronic Patient Records, robotic process automation, and workforce modernization, coordinating diverse stakeholders through effective collaboration and change management to enhance data access and streamline workflows impacting thousands of staff.
- Established frameworks for secure information exchange (HIE) and spearheaded the rollout of new communication systems (Medic Bleep), redesigning pathways to improve efficiency and access to critical information for staff , demonstrating an ability to lead organization-wide process optimization .
- Oversaw annual budgeting, financial controls, and cost optimization, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and identifying areas for savings.
SENIOR PROGRAMME MANAGER
TekOne Technologies Ltd
01.2009 - 01.2017
- Demonstrated robust project management discipline by leading the end-to-end delivery of 60+ large-scale transformation projects (£100k-£1M budgets) for diverse clients. Ensured excellence in project planning , execution, governance , and control to achieve timely, high- quality outcomes and tangible business impact.
- Led targeted cost optimization and efficiency initiatives within transformation projects , achieving substantial performance improvements (up to 300%) and demonstrating strong financial acumen in driving benefit realization .
- Established and implemented strategic risk management frameworks across project portfolios, proactively identifying and mitigating risks to minimize delays and ensure adherence to project budgets and timelines.
TECHNOLOGY TEAM LEADER
London Olympics
01.2012 - 12.2012
- Led a 20-member team , ensuring seamless digital operations and mission-critical infrastructure planning for a global event .
- Managed stakeholder communication, budget allocation , and risk mitigation, achieving zero downtime and schedule adherence.
- Recognized with the UK Prime Minister's Medal of Honour for exceptional project leadership.
REGIONAL PROJECT MANAGER
United Nations
, Pakistan
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Led large-scale, high-budget ( 36 million USD ) humanitarian programmes focused on infrastructure development , crisis response and operational efficiency in post-disaster environments.
- Directed large-scale humanitarian infrastructure projects in post-disaster environments, while optimizing project cost and resource allocation, achieving $1.8M in savings. Improved project planning and execution, increasing aid access by 35%.
- Awarded Employee of the Year by the President of Pakistan for outstanding project management.
Education
Project Leadership Program -
Cranfield Management School
02.2025 -
MSc - Project Management
Queen Mary, University of London
Master of Science - Information Technology
COMSATS University
Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) - Programme Management
People Cert
02.2025 - 04.2025
Skills
- PMO Setup & Governance
- HR Project Management & People Transformation
- Budgeting, Financial Planning & Analysis (Advanced Excel)
- Stakeholder Management & Executive Engagement
- Project & Portfolio Leadership & Management (MS Project, Jira, Asana)
- Data Analysis, Reporting & Dashboarding (PowerPoint, Excel)
- Change Management & Continuous Improvement
- Risk Management & Compliance
- Agile, Lean, and Waterfall Methodologies
- Digital Transformation Acumen & Innovation
References
Will be furnished upon request
Accomplishments
- UK Prime Minister's Medal of Honour – London Olympics
- Employee of the Year – United Nations, Pakistan
Languages
English
Fluent
Arabic
Elementary
Urdu
Fluent
Hindi
Fluent
Timeline
Project Leadership Program -
Cranfield Management School
02.2025 -
Managing Successful Programmes (MSP) - Programme Management
People Cert
02.2025 - 04.2025
Head of PMO | Assistant Director of Programmes
NHS ENGLAND
01.2019 - 04.2025
GDE PROGRAMME MANAGER
Cambridge University / West Suffolk NHS Trust
01.2018 - 01.2019
TECHNOLOGY TEAM LEADER
London Olympics
01.2012 - 12.2012
SENIOR PROGRAMME MANAGER
TekOne Technologies Ltd
01.2009 - 01.2017
REGIONAL PROJECT MANAGER
United Nations
01.2005 - 01.2007
MSc - Project Management
Queen Mary, University of London
Master of Science - Information Technology
COMSATS University
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